I Need A Good Judge
by the-voiceless
Summary: Lucky Ned has cheated his deal with Rooster by stealing away with Mattie into the wilderness, casting them into another adventure. Ned Pepper has had very troubling encounters with the law, believing he will never find a good judge in this cruel world. But the girl has a good judge of character. Soon Mattie's bond with the notorious criminal begins to develop into a friendship.


Chapter 1

Had there been any idea in Mattie's head that she'd be kidnapped by Lucky Ned and his gang had never come to mind at all. In her head she could remember when she first met him and she could remember his dirty face and all too mannered hostility towards her about Mr. Rooster down by the river cooking up a storm of threats and negotiations and 50 more approaching officers to tie him up with an executioner and a coffin box.

Now she was taken prisoner by this jaw-broken criminal and his sack of lowly pesky criminals wanted by the law. He hauled her off through the woods onto a rocky cliff where a breakfast waited near a dying fire.

Sizzling under the hot summer day she and Lucky Ned's gang sat upon the cliff overlooking the wide stretching plain where the road met towards their escape route deeper into Indian Territory.

"Farrell, see to Tom's wound."

Mattie approached their awaiting camp overlooking the pine and blue horizon. Her belly grumbled, remembering not a crumb or morsel had touched her lips all morning long.

She licked her lips, "Can I have some of that bacon?"

He nodded, "You help yourself. Have some of the coffee."

She grinned, almost scoffing," I do not drink coffee. I am 14."

Ned grunted with his hands on his hips," Well we do not have buttermilk and we do not have bread. We are poorly supplied.," he sat with his arm leaning across his knee," What are you doing here?"

Chaney, holding his bleeding side, growled at her," Where is she?" he marched towards her," I ought to wring your scrawny neck!"

Ned hollered, "You let that go!"

His nostrils flared. Chaney's jaw tightened in aggravation, shrinking away from Ned, putting pressure on his wound before being tended to.

"What happened, huh?" Ned asked her.

She inhaled sharply, "Well I will tell you and you will see that I am in the right. Tom Chaney there shot my father to death in Fort Smith, and robbed him of two gold pieces and stole his mare. I was informed Rooster Cogburn had grit and I hired him to find the murderer. A few minutes ago, I came upon Chaney watering the horses. He would not be taken in charge and I shot him. If I had killed him, I would not be now in this fix. My revolver misfired."

Her eyes told the whole story which seemingly impressed Ned. No one small or little or big had dared to come cross with him or his gang of misfits in this territory especially with an impressive revolver like hers.

He grinned," It will do it. It will embarrass you every time," he held up his gun," Most girls like to play pretties but ya like guns, do ya?"

Mattie spat," I do not care a thing in the world about guns. If I did, I would have one that worked."

Feeling embarrassed by her side of the story, Chaney opened his mouth," I was shot from ambush, Ned. M'horses was blowing and makin' noise. That officer got me."

Mattie couldn't believe he would tell a stretcher like that," How can you sit there and tell such a big story?"

He pointed his finger, threatening her," That pit is 100 feet deep and I'll throw yer in it. I'll leave yer to scream and rot! How do yer like tha'?"

She retorted quickly," No you won't. This man will not let you have your way. He is your boss and you have to do what he tells you."

Chaney whined, " Well, nothin's goin' m'way."

Glancing at her," Was that Rooster waylaid us night before last?" Ned asked her.

"It was Marshal Cogburn and myself," she replied as she glanced up at him looking into his telescope overlooking the bald ridge.

She nibbled on some poorly cooked bacon while Ned accomplished to his business with the Marshall.

He softly whispered," You and Cogburn. Quite the posse."

A gun shot heard about the distant surf came to her ears sounded like a _Pop_! The man saw his foe from on top the hill riding his horse to his purposed direction. Lucky Ned responded with his own gun shooting up into the clouds with a loud ringing _pop_, returning his favor and respecting his deal with Rooster.

She watched Rooster disappear with her horse. Lucky Ned walked on over to her, staring at her with curious eyes that could kill a cat, and began to think what to do with her. She was young, very young. In some parts she would be the perfect prisoner.

"Let us move, Ned."

He scratched his chin while replying," In good time, Doctor."

A thought sprung to his mind. How long had those two been after them? Only way is to count the dead bodies they encountered and all the men they know.

"What happened to Quincy and The Kid?"

"They are both dead," she inhaled slowly through her teeth, the awful memories returning to her mind," I was in the very middle of it. It was a terrible thing to see."

Her hazel eyes glanced downward, regretting the reminder of chopped fingers and a man's cheek caved in by a silver piece. Memories of such brutality gave her the shivers.

Ned's men became restless," Please, let us move, Ned. The Marshall's gone."

Quickly, he excused them. Surely there must be more to this little girl than pretty braided hair and a quick tongue to her voice. Secretly, Ned was forming a plan in his mind that might steer the wind of fortune his way. All the meanwhile, Mattie thought about her predicament, trying to get herself out of this fix. To her eyes Lucky Ned had another face to him unlike the Wanted Posters as if falsifying his true identity.

"Do you need a good lawyer?" she asked, trying to reason.

He chuckled," I need a good judge," he chewed on his inner cheek thoughtfully," What happened to Coke Hayes, the old fellow shot off his horse?"

"Dead as well. His depredations have come to an end."

"Your friend Rooster does not collect many prisoners."

She snapped," He is not my friend. He's abandoned me to a congress of louts."

He chuckled again," You do not varnish your opinion."

Finally he decided his option," You're coming with me."

She flinched.

"But you said you'd keep your word," Mattie protested.

"I said my word but did not keep it. Rooster on the other can keep his word and say it. Don't matter to me," Lucky Ned grabbed his horse rope," Sounds to me like a trap. It'll lead to a hanging any way you slice it."

He approached her with his rope, turned her around, and began to tie up her wrists.

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed as he put a blindfold over her eyes," What are you-?"

He shoved her neck forward, nudging her head into silence, "Way you see it Rooster has you under his responsible wing. Way I see it you'll be my hostage until Cogburn is off my trail. There won't be any executioner in my future any time soon," he strapped her rope to his saddle. He settled on his horse.

"I am no cash cow," she responded before being forcefully tugged forward.

"Lucky Ned! You may find yourself in court where you don't want to be. I have a good lawyer," she threatened.

He chuckled," This is Indian Territory, here sheriff and law don't have no say or quarrel here, little sister."

"Now quiet!" he glanced behind him," Any word from you I'll get my iron and cut that tongue out and toss to the coyotes ya hear?"

Rooster Cogburn had indeed disappeared over the horizon somewhere without another thought of Mattie and her unprotected skin. The Texas Ranger had been considered as a thought of rescue but he too had disappeared along with her hope. What poor souls these men were when the sheriff or someone comes to rescue her!

The rope automatically tightened, squeezing her wrist bones and tightening her skin like velvet stretched over rock.

"Ride on!"

"Uggh," she grunted, tripping over logs and rocks and bushes and occasionally a desert cactus or two.

The pain began to settle in like a snake in a hat. Her small leather boots were extremely uncomfortable to walk in! Oh, if only she had Little Blackie to help her with the soles of her feet and the blisters forming on her heel and ankles.

Her mouth felt hot with dryness. The Ned Pepper Gang rode quietly and quaintly deeper into the territory with their wits about them. The hostage girl, the poor dear, had been tripping and dragging her feet behind the heels of her takers' horse.

If only she had a knife to cut her loose from this brute!

The only threat lingering on her mind was the man who killed her father in cold blood and left him for dead out in the cold of winter being robbed of a mare and two gold pieces. Chaney, the angry bleeding dog, watched the girl being dragged by her captor. Lucky Ned had chosen well, happily obliged to sweep her off onto another adventure.


End file.
